The Captain Chronicles 4: Lost
by StarKayak
Summary: The Doctor is traveling with his daughter Jen making up for a lost childhood. Captain Jack Harkness is with his daughter Toshi,with another opportunity for a real family after the tragic losses of Alice and Steven. Second chances. However a mortal enemy has far more sinister plans for them all. Other characters include the Face of Boe. My thanks goes to JolinarJackson for advice.
1. Chapter 1 Second Chances

It started again: the shuttering breath, the night sweat, the mumbled cry. Toshi sat up as her eyes adjusted to the darkness within the tent. Her father lay sleeping a few feet away. As she turned closer to him, she remembered what her mother told her: no quick movements, quiet approach, and gently, _gently _touch him.

"Dad…" she whispered. "It's a dream, Dad." She quietly unzipped her sleeping bag, wiggled out of it, and then moved closer.

Jack Harkness jerked his head back, eyes tightly shut. "No…Stop!" He began to slightly thrash, kicking away the cover of the sleeping bag. Toshi slipped quietly beside her father, propping herself up with one elbow, and then carefully put her hand on his forehead, brushing away the damp locks of hair. Jack's eyes snapped open. He grabbed her wrists and pinned her to the ground in a reflex defensive move.

"Dad!" Toshi pushed against his grip. "It's me, Dad. It's OK. Everything is OK."

As Jack's eyes began to focus, the terror evaporated leaving only a trace sensation of a claw at his throat. He exhaled slowly, released her, and rolled on his back.

"It's me, Dad." Toshi sat up beside him, touching him on the shoulder. "Just a nightmare."

Her father took a deep breath, rubbed his eyes, and slowly sat up next to her.

"Sorry," he stammered. He examined the deep imprints his fingers had made on her wrist with concern, "Did I hurt you?"

She shook her head. Her mother had prepared her for her father's night terrors. "Are you OK?"

"Just a nightmare," Jack mumbled as he stretched his legs.

Toshi knew not to question him further. Her mother had dealt with his nightmares for several years. Your father just needs to be held, she had told her daughter._ Just let him know you are there._ Jen also told her not to question him. He would talk about it when he was ready, not before.

Jack brightened. "How about some breakfast? Pancakes camp style?"

"Sure."

Toshi slipped into her sleeping bag and turned her back to allow her father to dress in privacy. He pulled on a pair of dark blue trousers, a blue shirt, and braces. Fumbling around he found a pair of wool hiking socks and boots. He found Toshi's boots and handed the to her before moving to the front of the tent. Charlie could be heard sniffing around outside, waiting to be fed.

The Captain unzipped the front flap of the olive green tent, and surveyed the dawning sun as it spread its rosy glow over the Yosemite Valley. Light dew still remained on the grass, sparkling in the early light. The smell of wild mint permeated the air. As he carefully stepped out, he could see three mule deer drinking by the rivers edge. The morning chorus of warblers and sparrows in the trees was accentuated by the soft staccato of a woodpecker probing for its breakfast. As Jack scanned the campsite, he could see they had visitors in the night. Raccoon tracks were everywhere. They must have been why Charlie growled and was impatient to leave the tent several hours ago. He was please to see these nocturnal raiders could not breach his carefully packed supplies. Picking up a pail, Jack went down to the river's edge to get water for the morning's coffee. The spaniel followed him.

The Captain was happy to get this trip in with his daughter in between assignments with the Interstellar Nature Conservancy. Soon she would be old enough to travel with her grandfather. The Doctor wanted to give Toshi a Time Lord Grand Tour when she turned twelve. Jack knew that as she grew older, the precious time he had with his daughter would be limited as she started to venture out into the world.

Jack loved being a father. It was a new start after years of being alone, after the losses he experienced when he was younger. His heart still ached when he thought of Steven's empty stare as Alice clutched his body. She never forgave him. He pushed the image back into the recesses of his mind.

Toshi adored her father and spent every moment with him, even when she was little. She had Jack's piercing blue eyes, dark unruly hair, and a captivating smile along with a tendency to get into mischief. Jack jokingly nicked-named her "Shadow" as she followed him everywhere. She inherited his curiosity, which sometimes it got her into trouble. When Toshi was five, she followed him into the underground caves on Tatooine and got lost. It took her parents two days of frantic searching to find her. When they did find her, she was calmly sitting next to a pool of clear water trying to catch the small cavefish that slid past like silver ghosts in the dim light of the cavern. Her favorite place was on his lap, enveloped in his arms, or playing dress-up in his long military greatcoat. Toshi was definitely Daddy's girl.

Jack stoked the campfire until just the right temperature, and then set the flapjack pan on the grill to heat. He checked his wrist strap for a barometer and moisture reading. It looked like a clear day. As he turned to watch Toshi straighten out the tent area, he smiled. She was so much like her mother: athletic, practical, and patient. Jen was off with her father, the Doctor, so this was a special father-daughter time for Jack too. Their golden spaniel Charlie padded over to Toshi, and sat down expectantly. Toshi quickly opened up the dog pack, took out his food, and emptied it until a bowl. Charlie wagged happily and gobbled it down.

"Have you thought about what you want to do today?" Jack asked as he poured the batter into the pan. It sizzled and began to bubble. The aroma of camp coffee and pancakes began to fill the air. "We could climb to Glacier Point or maybe hike up the Yosemite Falls trail. Both give a good view of the valley, but we need to get an early start to get up and back before four." Quick forming summer thunderstorms rattled the valley in the late afternoon. The lightning was particularly dangerous around on the soaring granite cliffs of Half Dome or El Capitan.

"Actually, I thought about the story you told last night, about the California Gold Rush of 1849," Toshi said as she settled next to the fire. She poured two cups of camp coffee and gave one to her father. "I'd like to see what it was like." She pointed the small mine near the face of the granite cliff. The entrance was barely visible through the overgrown tangle of Manzanita bushes and thistle. "You know, when that mine was in operation." She turned to look at her father while he finished flipping the pancakes in the pan. "You always said you'd take me on a trip with your Vortex Manipulator."

Jack finished stacking the steaming pancakes on the plates and passed one to his daughter. "That can get kind of dangerous," he mused, "I don't think your mother would approve. Maple syrup?" He stood up and reached for the pitcher.

Toshi nodded and Jack poured a stream of the sweet syrup on her pancakes. "I think I'm ready, even in an emergency." She looked up at her father. "Look, you taught me survival skills, how to shoot, tie knots, use a knife to fillet trout…" She could see he was still skeptical. "Please, Dad, I'm almost twelve Earth years and you said I was good!"

"You learned the lessons well," Jack agreed as he sat down again across from her and took the cup of coffee from her. "It is just that your mother and grandfather will be coming back in the TARDIS in a couple of days…" He could hear the steady flow of the Merced River rushing over its gravel bed as it wound down the canyon. "Maybe we can raft…"

"Just one day?" Toshi pleaded, "Just to see what it was like?" She moved closer to him, wrapped her arms around the Captain's waist, and gazed into his eyes. "Just the day, no overnight. Please?"

Jack looked down at his daughter's pleading eyes. Always a sucker for puppy dog eyes, he thought. I'm going to get in trouble with Jen for this, especially after the last time Toshi talked me into an adventure. We were picking spines out of our clothes for days.

"OK, but this time you have to follow my directions and stay with me," Jack said firmly. He hugged her close, "No running off on your own…and Charlie stays here."

"Agreed," she bubbled happily. The old spaniel edged towards the campfire waiting expectantly while they finished their breakfast and made plans for the day. They decided that they would leave the tent up since they would be coming back before nightfall. As they cleaned up, Toshi slipped the dog her plate and allowed him to lick it clean.

The Captain carefully put out the campfire, and sent Toshi to the river for another pail of water to throw over the lingering coals. As a member of the Interstellar Nature Conservancy, he wanted to model responsible camping behavior for his daughter. The Conservancy had taken over Yosemite after centuries of neglect, and restored it to the pristine wilderness it once was. Most of the old hotels and tourist structures were all gone. There were only a few scars left, such as the abandoned gold mine.

Jack had picked the campsite carefully. The clear water of the Merced had finished the rush of its early spring snowmelt, and now ran full and cold across the gravel riverbed. They were high enough from the bank to avoid the rush of a flash flood, but low enough to easily walk down to swim or fish. Last night, after the TARDIS left, they watched quietly as the mule deer herd made its way to the waters edge to drink. The campsite was covered with short grass growing out of the soil mixed with sand and rock. The tall Ponderosa pine and fragrant incense cedar towered over them with a stately California black oak branching out at the edge of the clearing. When they arrived, Toshi had bet her father that she could beat him in a climb to the top, and she did just that. The spring flush of pink Indian paintbrush and white dogwood by the river still lingered while the summer blooms of deep blue lupine, golden poppy, and white Mariposa lily had began to unfurl.

Toshi finished washing the pans, cups, and dishes in the river using sand as a scrub. She walked back up the bank to the camp and placed them by the food supplies. When she was finished, she looked back at the face of the cliff where the abandoned mine beckoned. Moving closer to the old mine, she pushed away the branches and thistles to peer into the darkness.

"Hey!" called her father as he packed away the cooking gear. "Don't get too close, you don't know if the ground is stable."

Toshi stepped back still looking at the mouth of the mine. The ten by ten foot entrance had been blasted into the granite face with horizontal adit shaft extending with a slight slope up twelve more feet into the mountain. Beyond the entrance, she could barely see the remains of a broken structure made of rotting wood and rusted metal. Jack walked up behind her and gently pulled her back at bit.

"What do you think that is?" she asked him pointing at the structure in the mine.

Jack strained to see inside. "Looks like some kind of lowering device to get the miners and ore in and out of the vertical shaft. I think it's called a kibble." He gingerly stepped closer, picked up a small stone, and threw it into the tunnel, listening as it bounced down the walls of the shaft. "Sounds about one hundred feet down."

"Do you think they found gold there?" Toshi said excitedly.

"Maybe," Jack smiled. "Don't know if they had success this far east of the Mother Lode. We'll see." He gave her a quick hug as they walked back to camp. Toshi finished shaking out the sleeping bags and sweeping out the interior of the tent before she replaced them. She sprinkled the area with sprigs of wild mountain mint to freshen it. The Captain took the rest of the cooking gear and food, filled a small green metal locker, and then hoisted it high into the incense cedar one hundred feet from their tent. He pulled until it was twenty feet up and ten feet away from the trunk before securely tying the rope.

Toshi gave him a questioning look as her long black hair ruffled in the breeze.

"Bears," Jack grinned. "Black bears. No use tempting them."

Toshi arched her brows. "Bears?"

"We don't bother them, they don't bother us." Jack adjusted his coat and filled a small backpack with two water bottles, peanut butter and blackberry jelly sandwiches, and two apples. He strapped on his holster, checked his Webley, and slipped a hunting knife in his coat. Toshi wore a light blue knit top, jeans, and lightweight blue plaid wool shirt. She stuffed a dark blue insulated windbreaker into her backpack. She then added a torch, folding knife, a compass, a small first aid kit, and duct tape. Jack smiled at the selections, remembering the scouting lessons she clearly took to heart.

"You do know there are still grizzlies in California in 1848," Jack teased. "Sure you want to still go?"

Toshi ignored him. "What about Charlie?"

"Charlie will be fine," Jack glanced at the spaniel sleeping in the sun. "He's fed. He knows how to handle himself, and we'll be back before supper."

They walked towards a clearing on the campground. Jack sent a message to her mother and the Doctor to let them know that they would be time traveling for a day so not to worry.

"This is the first time you've done this so you need to follow my lead, OK?" Jack adjusted his wrist strap, and then put one arm around his daughter's waist. "Put your hand on top of the strap and the other around my waist. Hold on… Ready?" Toshi nodded. In a flash, they disappeared.

As the sun moved higher in the sky, Charlie woke, stretch out his legs, and sniffed the air. A light musky scent lingered in the air. His body tensed as he looked around the clearing. A lone figure stood in the shadows near the tent. The dog surged to its feet and began to bark wildly. The tall stranger ignored the dog as he walked into the open area; his iridescent reptilian scales glistened in the light. His clawed hand unzipped the tent flap and looked inside. Two sleeping bags. The intelligence was correct. He zipped up the tent and walked towards the mine. Charlie approached him, nipping at his heels. He kicked savagely at the dog. It ducked and took a wider circle around the intruder.

The alien had a military posture, and carried a side arm. Heavily muscled at eight feet tall, he was an imposing figure. He walked over to the abandoned mine and looked inside the tunnel, smiling as he saw the vertical shaft. Squatting down he threw a pebble, listening as it bounced off the walls of the shaft. Returning to the entrance, he glanced at the food locker in the cedar and then surveyed the rest of the area for an adequate hiding place. The largest granite boulders offering best cover were near the river.

Charlie lunged at the alien creature and slashed his boot with a hard bite. The soldier cursed as he rose, and kicked the dog hard. Charlie let out a sharp yip as he sailed through the air, bouncing off the granite wall with the sickening crunch of bones breaking. The golden spaniel tried to drag itself up, snarling at the intruder. The soldier kicked him again. The dog whimpered in pain, shuddered, and then was still. The intruder left the animal where it lay by the cliff at the edge of the clearing. Taking a branch of cedar, he carefully scrapped away his tracks from the campsite. After using the branch to cover the dog's body, he found a comfortable hiding place among the granite boulders by the river, and he settled in to wait.

"A long time coming, Captain," he said softly. "A long time coming."


	2. Chapter 2 Journey

"I don't want to discuss this." Jen rolled up the sleeve of her dark green flight suit so that she could adjust the wiring under the navigation panel of her TARDIS. They had returned to Tatooine and were preparing to leave orbit.

"I only mention it because I'm your father," the Doctor said defensively. "It is just that I saw him flirting in the officer's mess at the Conservancy last month."

"I don't understand why you don't just trust him." She continued to adjust the wire under the controls. "Jack is just being friendly. It's harmless. He can't help it, it is just who he is." She turned and gave her father a stern look. "and _I_ trust him."

"Just saying," the Doctor walked back to the controls and watched his daughter as she pulled the components out . "I've known him longer than you. Good heart but wandering eye."

"Oh, so you trust him after all?" Jenny asked with a teasing smile.

The Doctor frowned at her. "With your life, with the life of your daughter ... no doubt. With your heart: not so much."

Jen rolled her eyes and continued working on the wiring. A soft beep on her wrist strap startled her. Crawling out from under the console, she checked her wrist strap and noted Jack's message. She shook her head seeing that Toshi had talked him into another adventure, remembering how the last one turned out.

"Message?" asked the Doctor as he worked the control of her TARDIS. His long, lean frame bent over the panels searching for the next coordinate.

"Toshi has talked Jack into a little time travel."

"What, on the hopper?" The Doctor straightened and looked quizzically at his daughter. I thought you dropped them off on Earth for a little camping."

"Yes." Jen replied. "They are still in Yosemite, but Toshi wanted to visit the California Gold Rush for a day." She moved over to the control panel and tapped into the data banks.

"Well," answered the Doctor, "if anyone can take care of themselves in the Wild West, it's Jack."

"I know," Jen replied as she called up their next destination. "It's just that Toshi tends to explore and doesn't always follow his directions."

"Father's daughter," the Doctor laughed. "You don't always follow my directions either, I might add."

"I was never a little girl," she reminded her father. "I was born a soldier on Messaline from your tissue sample, and could always take care of myself." She moved to another screen. "However, I think I missed a lot not having a childhood. That's why I wanted you to show me what you intend to show Toshi before I let her go with you."

The Doctor was thoughtful. "I can't give you or her a proper Gallifreyan education. Our homeland is gone now, locked in time." He looked wistful. "What I can do is give you a sense of our people's history, our best selves. We can travel back in time to look, but we can't enter." He directed his daughter to the navigation panel. "Set the coordinates at Galactic Zero Center, then enter 10-0-11-0-0 by 0-2."

She looked up surprised. "That is over 250 million light years from Earth."

"Oh, don't worry about Toshi. She's with Jack." He fired up the engine and her TARDIS began to vibrate and then gain speed. "They'll be fine!" The TARDIS entered the Time Vortex and began their journey.

XXXXXXX

The landing was rough. The Captain and Toshi tumbled into a thick patch of low manzanita. As they untangled themselves from the scratchy brush, they were thankful that they didn't land in the poison oak nearby. Jack motioned his daughter to stay hidden while he surveyed the area. The sun was high, but was still towards the east. There were more black oak near the clearing, and the river was further away from the cliff, but that would be expected in a five hundred year history of spring runoff and flooding. The air had the distinctive smell of smoke. A simple white canvas tent was set up near the entrance to the mine. Up wind from tent was a pit with fire ring formed of flat rocks circling a roaring campfire. Red pinto beans were boiling in a large cast iron kettle hung from hooks on a jerry-rigged iron apparatus. A grill, coffee percolator, and a Dutch oven were set to the side. Laundry hung on a rope tied between two lodge pole pines: one pair of pants, two shirts, and two longjohns. A rangy mule was on a long tether grazing on a patch of meadow beyond the clothesline.

A shot sliced through the air above the Captain's head splintering a cedar branch on impact. Jack hit the ground and rolled behind a nearby boulder, gun drawn.

"Hey!" Jack shouted. "What was that for?"

"Ain't puttin' up with no claim jumpers!" The voice came from down river. "You friendly, then hold up you gun where I can see it."

Jack slowly put his gun above his head, but stayed crouched behind the boulder.

"Now get up slow," the voice drawled. "No tricks!"

"Not until I see you!" Jack snarled back, still holding his gun above his head.

A small old man stepped from behind another lodgepole pine fifty feet away, with a rifle pointed at Jack's head. "Now stand up tall where I can see you!"

Jack kept his gun above his head and slowly stood up. "I'm just hiking these mountains with my daughter!"

"I don't see no girl!" snapped the miner.

"And you won't see her as long as you have this gun pointed at us!" Jack growled.

"Lower your gun first and I'll do the same!"

Jack slowly placed his gun on the ground in front of him. "Now put that thing down before someone gets hurt!"

The old man lowered his rifle, and came closer. "You look like you steered your ship a bit off course for these parts, captain. He looked at the coat. "Don't recognize the style, you military?"

"You can say that."

The old man looked him up and down suspiciously. "You sound American, but that ain't army issue."

"It's not." Jack began to relax. "American volunteer in England. Long story."

The old man squinted, put the safety back on the rifle, and lowered it. "Don't get many visitors up here, just a couple Indians now and then. Hungry?" He pointed at the campfire. "Beans are almost ready."

"Don't mind if I do," Jack smiled. He waved at Toshi, who slowly came out of her hiding place and joined her father.

The old man smiled at her as she joined them. His face with lined and deeply tanned in contrast to the iron grey thatch of hair under his wide brim felt hat. His shirt and jeans were bleached by the sun, patched, and dusty. Although his teeth were yellowed and gapped, the smile reached all the way to his hazel eyes. She smiled back.

"Name's Samuel Rutherford, Sam for short." he said. "This is my claim." He held out his hand.

"Captain Jack Harkness," the Captain took his hand and shook it warmly. "This is my daughter, Toshi."

"Please to meet you, Captain." Sam tipped his hat. "Miss Toshi. Can I offer you some coffee? Just took it off fire before you arrived."

Toshi looked at her father, who nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Rutherford."

Sam had positioned a few cut up oak stumps up wind of the fire pit, and motioned to his guests to sit, while he poured the coffee. It was strong and hot with a few floating grounds, but satisfying.

"So what brings you to these parts?" Sam asked as he pulled fresh sourdough biscuits out of the Dutch oven, and placed them on three metal plates.

"Beautiful valley," Jack said as he sipped the coffee. "Heard about it when we came into port by clipper in San Francisco. Thought we'd take a look."

"Where's your horses?" Sam asked as he poured the steaming beans on top of the biscuits. The air filled with the smell of sourdough and pinto. He handed the plates to his guests, and then passed out large metal spoons.

"Tied down the trail aways," Jack lied. "Thought we'd walk around some. You mining for gold up here? Kind of out of the way for gold."

"Yeah," the miner hunched over his plate and began to eat. "That one there is a disappointment. Been working it for three years. Looked promising so I dug a shaft about one hundred feet down. Dug two slope tunnels but couldn't find a vein. Just a big hole now. Guess the Mother Lode didn't come up this far." He gestured towards the river. "Did find some flakes panning, so there must be something up here. Just not in that hole."

"Mind if we'd take a look?" Jack smiled at Toshi. "My daughter is interested in mines."

Sam snorted. "Be my guest." He smiled at Toshi, "Pretty young thing like you should be looking at laces and flirting with the boys instead of climbing around mines. Girls up here marry early."

The Captain grimaced. "It's a bit early for boys."

Sam grinned. "Never married myself, but I can understand a father needs to protect his girl. Now Toshi, when you get to the mine, you need to be careful because of the loose rock. I can go down into it using the kibble. It's pretty much a bucket and rope system a that gets me down the shaft. Just be careful. It's a long fall."

"Dad," Toshi said excitedly. "Can I check it out?"

Jack nodded and she scampered towards the mine.

He took another sip of coffee and asked, "How are the Indians up this way?"

"Keep to themselves mostly," Sam said as he began to clean up the dishes. "There's an old woman who lives up river in one of those wooden tepees they build. Some say she's one of the Modoc from up north near the Klamath River. Married in to the Miwok, but the husband's dead. A lot of them got sick and died when the miners started arriving. Just up and died."

"Are you going to stay here for the winter?" asked Jack.

"No, this claim is played out and there's not enough gold in the river to make it worth my time anymore. Packing up tomorrow and taking the whole shooting match down to Angels Camp."

Jack frowned. "If you're leaving this claim, why did you shoot at us?"

Sam looked down. "Sorry, can't be too careful. Gold country attracts a lot of scoundrels. You best be careful who you allow around your youngster."

"Dad!" Toshi waved from the entrance. at her father. "I figured out how to work this like a miner!" Jack and Sam waved back. She scampered back in and stepped into the bucket, using the rope and winch to raise and lower herself in the shaft. She giggled as she slipped the torch out of her backpack and turned it on looking for gold in the granite walls of the shaft. "Toshi Harkness, time agent searching for gold!" When she reached the bottom, she reversed the ropes to ascend to the surface.

Sam looked at the Captain in admiration. "You let her do that? Most men would be running in and stopping her."

"She's always been like that, an explorer." He turned back to Sam and grinned. "Pretty good shot too, at least with targets." The conversation drifted into a discussion on the best fishing methods for catfish and trout.

After about fifteen minutes, Toshi grew tired of the game, and rejoined her father and Sam by the fire.

"We have a little time before we go back." Jack asked as he got up and handed Toshi her backpack. "Any good hiking up in the east end of the valley?"

"There is a shallow seasonal lake surrounded by mountains about a mile from here. Looks like a mirror. On the both the north and south sides there are some nice waterfalls. God's country this is. If you follow the river upstream, you may see the Indian woman's hut set back in the meadow. The tribe who lives here is Ahwaneechee, part of the Modoc. Never had any trouble with them. I hear her name is Aeshan." He watched them put on their backpacks and begin to walk towards the east end of the valley. 'You two take care of yourselves!"

Toshi waved good-bye to Sam as they left the campground to hike further up the valley. The old man turned back to his chores as they walked away. She kept up with her father's large strides as they made their way along the north side to the mirrored lake. He explained more of the history of the area to her as they walked. They finally rested when they arrived. The old man was right. The small lake reflected back the mountains like a mirror. Jack had his daughter sit next to him as he unrolled a map of the area and explained the terrain. After awhile, she rested her head against his shoulder.

"Tired?"

She nodded.

"Ready to go back?"

Toshi reluctantly agreed. "But could you show me something first?"

"What?"

"The wrist strap, how does it work?"

Jack hesitated. "You're not really old enough yet, but I can show you a few things. He opened the cover of the worn leather strap and patiently pointed out the controls. "It's complicated and takes a lot of training, but there are a few things you can understand. See this silver button, that is the transport coordinate. I always set it for the last safe place I visit just in case I need a fast escape. This red one is a communicator, but only within the same time period, not across time. This one monitors minerals in my blood levels…"

Toshi listened with interest trying to take it all in. She knew that her father was once a Time Agent, but did not really understand what it was. Humans and aliens from many worlds would come to her parents to ask for help even though they usually worked through the Alliance. All she knew was that these people respected her father's skill and took his advice.

Jack noticed that his daughter's eyes were beginning to glaze over and stopped. He looked into the sky and saw the sun was edging towards the western horizon. Dark thunderheads were forming as the clouds moved east near the summit.

"I think it's time to go back." Toshi looked wistful, but nodded. Jack put his arm around her and drew her closer. "Now put your hand on the wrist strap and hold tight." He looked around to see if anyone was watching, then in a flash they disappeared.

An old woman watching from a deer trail on the ridge above gasped as she watched the man and girl evaporate into light. Star travelers, she thought to herself. She had heard the legends from her mother. Star travelers.


	3. Chapter 3 A Long Time Coming

Jen was stunned by the site of the red planet of brown lakes and grey clouds lighted by a binary star, Gallifrey, the home of her people. The orange sky trees with their silver leaves glittered the landscape of green forests, golden fields, and red deserts. The soaring spires of the domed Citadel stood proud on the horizon. And yet, they were all dead in her time.

The Doctor put his hand on her shoulder as they stood silently. "Do the stories make sense now?" He watched her stand speechless before the sight of their homeland. Before there were just names: Time Lord Academy, Koschei, Mortimus, Ushas, Rassilon, The Time War. Now she was part of this history, his history, blood of blood.

They watched as the TARDIS circled to the dark side of the planet where the nights were lit by the two large moons, and the sparkling reflection of the planet's ring. The Doctor continued to watch Jen's reaction to Gallifrey. Normally their history would have been taught during childhood, but Jen had never been a child. His blonde soldier daughter had sprung like Minerva from the head of Zeus, fully grown from a forced tissue sample on Messaline. Granddaughter Toshi was born out of the love between his daughter and one of his companions, a former Time Agent and con man accidentally imbued with the Time Vortex with such strength that he could not die. His family was not an ordinary one, even by Gallifreyan standards.

"Dad," Jen asked. "Are we Gallifreyan like you? Will Toshi and I go through the regeneration process you spoke about? I came to be in such a strange way, and Toshi is half human."

The Doctor was silent for a moment. "I think so, but I am not sure. Your first recovery could have been the work the Source, the terraforming machine on Messaline. As for Jack, there are so many unknowns, but this I know for sure. His life force, his connection to the Vortex, is enduring. I expect that Toshi has both your qualities. But there are no guarantees that your transformations will take the same pattern as mine, or will happen at all."

Jen returned to the navigation panel. "Where do we go next?"

The Doctor walked over to the panel, and typed in coordinates. "I have something special to show you."

XXXXXXX

The second landing was softer. Jack and Toshi hit a patch of sand that was near the river. They rolled with the momentum and then scrambled to their feet. Toshi's face flushed with excitement. Jack stood up and carefully surveyed the landscape, then relaxed when he noticed their camp further up the slope. He was hot and dusty from their hike, and the clear river water looked refreshing.

"Want to go for a swim before dinner?"

Toshi shook her head. "I want to find Charlie first and feed him. Maybe later."

"Tell you what," the Captain began to take off his coat. "Take my stuff up to the tent while I swim a bit, and then I'll make supper."

He packed his wrist strap, and gun into his backpack and handed it and his coat to Toshi. She hoisted them over her shoulder, and began to climb up the sand and gravel slope to the tent. Jack noticed the white cotton towels that they had set to dry last night on the willows by the river were still there. He walked down to the edge, kicked off his boots, and stripped, draping his clothes over the bushes near the towels. He shivered as he waded into the water at the edge of the river. It was early enough in the summer that the snowmelt from the higher slopes and glaciers still ran into the Merced. Jack noticed that there was a calm deep pool off the main current and dove into it, coming up sputtering from the shock of cold water. He laughed with exhilaration and began to swim lazily, diving to the bottom trying to hand catch the trout that lingered.

The intruder stayed in his hiding place watching. The man he remembered had not aged since the interrogations on Taurus: the square jaw, piercing blue eyes, and well-toned body. His customers, especially the collectors, would bid for one like this if he decided to sell, but his target would be difficult to catch. He fingered his weapon. Snag and drag would be the easiest. The cold calculation of killing and binding Jack before he gasped back to life would be most efficient. He turned and watched Toshi as she climbed the bank to the tent. The child would be easier after he dealt with the father. The sun continued to sink towards the horizon. He had time.

Toshi reached the tent and put down the packs. No sign of Charlie. She shrugged thinking he would be out chasing the ground squirrels or chipmunks in the area. She listened for his bark, but heard nothing. After placing the backpack on the floor of the tent, she shook out the great coat first and brought it to her face. She loved the smell of it. The fabric held the scent of adventure, the spice of distant worlds, but most of all it held the essence of a warm embrace, of him. She looked out the tent entrance, and could see her father was still swimming. Toshi placed the wrist strap on her arm, fastened the gun and holster to her body, and then put on the coat. It was much too big, but it made her feel older and powerful. She whirled the coat around her, put her hands on her waist, and tried to look heroic. _Toshi Harkness, Time Agent._ She folded her pack into his, and strapped it to her back. She giggled, pretended to point a gun, and whispered "Toshi Harkness, Time Agent on a mission." After she postured a few times, she opened his backpack and looked past the sandwiches. Dad's things were always fascinating.

By the time she left the tent, she decided her time agent mission would be to find Charlie. Toshi knew she would have to be quick, before her father came back. He was bemused when she dressed up in his coat, but would not approve of her playing with the wrist strap or the gun. She needed a point of observation and looked at the large black oak at the back of the camp. Carefully clutching the hem of the coat so it wouldn't trip her, she bounded towards the tree. Letting go of the hem, she climbed the large gnarled branches and settled on one about twelve feet off the ground. Using this platform, she settled in, took out the binoculars from his pack and began to scan the area for Charlie. When she turned it back to the river, she noticed that her father had finished swimming. He was already dressed, sitting on the bank, and pulling on his boots.

Jack finished lacing his hiking boots. The swim was refreshing and now he was hungry. He was not able to catch the fast-moving rainbow trout with his hands so they would have to settle for what was in the cooler or the peanut butter sandwiches they had made for lunch. As Jack listened to the water flowing past him, he realized it was quiet, too quiet. There was no afternoon sound of stellar jay or woodpecker in the air. No ground squirrel chatter. In fact, there was no bird or animal sound at all. The hair began to stand on the back of his head. He stood up slowly scanning the banks of the river, and began to carefully move towards the cover of a stand of quaking aspen nearby.

Toshi continued to scan the hill and meadow behind the campsite for Charley. Nothing. Usually Charlie would come bounding back shortly after they returned from camp. But she could hear nothing, no bark, nothing. When she turned her focus back to the river, she saw her father walking towards the trees on the right side of the campground. An iridescent reflection sparkled in the sun among the boulders on the left side near the river. She zoomed in on the rocks. The figure of a soldier uncoiled himself, and began to stalk her father as he walked towards the trees.

"Dad!" She screamed.

Jack turned towards the sound of his daughter's cry as the shot rang out. The force of the bullet flung the Captain backwards. He stumbled, fell to the ground, and lay still. Toshi could see the blood rushing from the wound in his head and mouth. She bit her hand hard to keep from screaming, and drew further back into the branches of the oak. Her father always told her to hide in case of an emergency. But Toshi didn't want to hide. She wanted to help him. Tears stung her eyes. She knew about her father's unique qualities and heard her parents talking, but she had never actually seen him hurt.

"Dad!" she whispered.

The alien soldier walked over to the still body, and pulled out a metallic rope out of a side satchel. He kicked the fallen man, but there was no movement. Bending down he pulled Jack's wrists together and bound them. Next, he searched his body for weapons. Straightening he looked back into the campsite, scanning for the girl. The cry had come somewhere nearby, but he couldn't pinpoint the origin.

No matter, he thought, just a girl. Easy to catch later. He stepped behind the Captain, and put his clawed hands under the man's arms and pulled him up. Jack's head fell back as the soldier dragged his body to the campsite. He propped the Captain up against a white-bark pine, and waited.

Toshi sat less than fifty yards away from her father. From her hiding place she got a good look at the alien. His back was to her, but she could tell he was humanoid with moss-green reptilian features covered in iridescent scales, clawed hands, and a slate gray military uniform. She noted that he was much taller than her father, and probably stronger given that he moved Jack's body with ease. A jay chattered in the high branches. Toshi shrank back into the shadows of the oak leaves as he began to turn in her direction.

Jack's body shuttered then surged back to life with a gasp. He realized his hands were tied and began to pull at the rope. As his eyes cleared, he could see the Sebecian soldier pointing his weapon. Jack became still.

"That's better, Captain." The soldier sat back keeping his gun leveled at Jack.

Jack quickly glanced around and noted the intruder seemed to be alone. He paled when he noticed Toshi's position in the oak, but turned his eyes away quickly as to not tip off her hiding place.

"What do you want?" Jack snarled.

"You don't remember me?" The soldier kept the gun leveled at Jack. "I'm hurt."

"Should I?"

"We're old friends, Captain," he said evenly. "It has been a couple of years… The mines of Taurus."

Jack's memories of his captivity on Taurus snapped back. "I wouldn't call that friendship, Zar."

"Commander Zarkot to you. A Sebecian losing face is a dangerous thing, Captain. You destroyed a sweet deal in star crystals with the Ravina Cartel." He stood up and approached Jack. "I even had a buyer for you before your little time witch showed up and outed my spy in the Conservatory. The Cartel blamed me for that. Being on both wanted lists is… inconvenient." He used one hand to grab his captive's left arm, and roughly yanked him to his feet.

Jack winced. "I guess you turning a new leaf is out of the question?"

"I had lots of time to think these past years." Zar moved behind Jack pressing the muzzle of the gun against his back. "Start walking over there." He pointed to the entrance of the abandoned mine. Jack complied, glad to be putting distance between them and his daughter's hiding place.

Toshi watched her father and the soldier move towards the mine. Their conversation was out of range. Fear gripped her, but she wanted to do something. Remembering the red button on the wrist strap was for communication to her mother, the child opened it and pressed the red button anyway. Nothing. When she looked up she could see that her father and the alien were at the mine entrance. The soldier pushed Jack inside the entrance towards the shaft. As they disappeared, Toshi carefully climbed down out of the oak tree, and began to move towards the mine while staying in the shadows of the trees. As she got closer to the entrance, she pulled the Webley out of the holster. It was heavy in her hands.

The air in the mine was cold and stale with the acid odor of dried bat droppings. Small rocks littered the floor, make walking difficult. Jack shivered as the cold air enveloped him. As they approached the shaft, he could see Sam's kibble, a wooden and iron bucket apparatus over the shaft, was rotted and partially collapsed.

Jack stopped and turned defiantly, "What do you want!"

Zar pushed his gun into the Captain's chest, backing him against the cold granite wall. "What do you humans say? Revenge is a dish best served cold." He moved closer. "Call your daughter."

"She has nothing to do with this," Jack growled.

"Call her."

"No."

The Commander struck his captive sharply with the barrel of the gun, causing Jack to stumble near the open shaft. He regained his footing, turned, and kicked at the gun. The Sebecian easily stepped aside, aimed, and shot Jack in the knee. The Captain crumbled to the ground writhing in pain.

"If I remember correctly, you heal more slowly when I don't kill you." He put his boot on Jack's shoulder pinning him to the ground and snarled, "Call your daughter!"

A shot ricocheted off the granite, and embedded in the floor of the mine. Zar quickly bent to pull Jack up as a shield, and turned to face the entrance. Toshi stood silhouetted in the light, holding the Webley with two hands.

"Toshi! No!" Jack shouted, "Run!"

"But Dad!" She flattened herself against the corner while trying to get another clear shot.

"Run!" Jack shouted, as he used his good leg to kick the Sebecian causing his shot to veer off, chipping the stone above his daughter's head. Zar swore, pulled his struggling captive to the edge of the shaft and pushed. Jack fell back flailing into the darkness and disappeared.

Toshi screamed as she saw her father fall. She dropped the gun and ran towards the river. Stumbling on the long coat as she neared the edge of the campground, she quickly pulled it up and ran again. The reptilian soldier stopped at the entrance, and picked up the gun. He smirked. She was unarmed. He tucked the weapon into his waistband and stopped to survey the situation. He saw the direction the child was running, and noted that he could easily box her in between the cliff and the river. He then began to walk towards her.

Toshi realized her mistake when she reached the river's edge. She turned around and saw the alien was only two hundred yards away. Trapped! Remembering what her father told her earlier, she pulled back the cover of the wrist strap and searched for the silver button. There were two, one was plain, and the other had a symbol.

Zarkot stopped fifty yards from the child, holstered his weapon, and held up his hands. "I'm not going to hurt you." His voice was cold. "Come here. I'll take you to your father." He held out his hand as he came nearer. Toshi took another step back, then looked at the wrist strap again. As the alien came closer, she closed her eyes and pushed the second button. The soldier swore and ran towards her as a bright light enveloped the small body. Toshi disappeared.


	4. Chapter 4 Lost in Time

The TARDIS landed on the planet surface facing a rocky and barren landscape. In the center of a deserted clearing set a large rocky frame, much like that of a watch. However, there was no face, no reflection. Jen turned to her father with a puzzled look.

"It is called the Untempered Schism, a look into the matrix of time itself, into eternity. Children of Gallifrey were initiated at eight. Before they entered the Academy, they were placed in front of it. Some were inspired, some would run away, and some would go mad." The Doctor took her hand. "Koschei went mad. I ran away. There will be some protection being in the TARDIS, but I can't guarantee the result. You must choose for yourself.

"And Toshi? She is half human."

The Doctor shrugged. "You were born of my blood, and Jack is imbued with the energy from the Vortex, but I don't know how this will affect Toshi. When she is ready, she will choose."

Jen stepped back from the observation window of her TARDIS. "I need to think." She closed the window, and went to the kitchen to make a pot of tea. Her father sat quietly at the table. As she waited for the water to boil, she noticed a communication alert on the wrist strap was waiting. Jen frowned. No message, just a signal. Strange.

The kettle rattled with boiling water. Taking it off the heat, she poured the steaming water over the dried leaves in her teapot until the air filled with the scent of mint as it steeped. Jen took off the wrist strap and placed it on the table.

"A message?" The Doctor looked at her quizzically.

"No. Should be one, but just an alert came."

"Maybe a malfunction. You worry too much."

Jen frowned again, and then shook her head. "It may be nothing." She took out the cups, poured the tea, and handed it to her father.

"I want to experience anything Toshi might choose."

The Doctor agreed. "I'll position the TARDIS in front of the Schism to allow you to see it. Although this is not the same as standing directly in front of it, the power is still present." He set the coördinates and she felt her ship move, then settle. "It is important that you face it with a clear mind. Your mind must be focused and uncontaminated by thought of any kind. If you show distress, I'll close the window." The motion of the ship stopped.

Jen took a deep breath.

The Doctor noted her nervousness. "You don't have to do this. Remember, I ran away. When you've had enough, hold up your hand."

"No, I'm ready." Jen positioned herself in front of the observation window. The Doctor raised it slowly. In front of her was the rocky frame of the Untempered Schism. As she gazed into it, the fabric of time and space parted. The swirling colors of the matrix formed and reformed as she stood transfixed at the endless tunnel of time. Images and shapes appeared and disappeared. Sounds spiraled and echoed in her head.

The Doctor watched her carefully. Jen moved closer to the window of the TARDIS, resting her hands on the glass. Suddenly she stepped back in horror as if pushing against something, then dropped to her knees. He snapped the window shut and rushed to her side.

"What? What did you see?"

Jen said nothing, staring into the distance. Finally, she turned to her father with tears welling in her eyes. "I saw him."

"What did you see?"

"I saw what he becomes." She stopped with a distant look in her eyes. "He was so kind to me when we first met, and I didn't even know who he was."

"What did you see?"

"I saw the Face of Boe."

Her father was silent for a moment, then knelt beside her and wrapped her in his arms. "You must not have had a clear mind when you opened yourself to the vortex. Your concern for Jack and Toshi fed into it, and it gave you back a glimpse into his future." He drew her close. "You must keep this to yourself, he cannot know now." He brushed away a tear as it slid down her cheek. "He cannot cross his timeline."

"You knew?"

The Doctor paused, then nodded. "I knew it as soon as I touched your TARDIS. It was grown from the coral I gave him when he was at Torchwood. It takes centuries to grow to maturity. Jack is too young now. I knew only Boe could have given it to you."

Jen pulled herself away from her father and stood alone.

"You told me once that you saw Boe die," Jen said softly. "I want to see him. I want to see him before he dies." The Doctor walked to her, holding her close as rested her head against his shoulder. Finally he tipped his head, and spoke. "I will find a way."

XXXXXXX

Toshi landed and rolled on to the damp sand on the shore of the mirrored lake. The sound of thunder echoed in the distance, as the fading rays of the sun gave the valley an orange glow. The ground was wet from a recent rain, and a sharp wind stung her cheeks. Toshi pulled her father's coat closer. She looked around for a branch to use as a hiking staff. She needed to hike back to Sam's camp for shelter. Picking the straightest and strongest limb, she took out the knife she found in the pocket of her father's coat, and trimmed away the twigs and leaves.

The light was fading quickly. She found the deer path they used along the north side of the valley and began to follow it. Her journey was slowed as the night deepened, but the clouds part enough for the moon to light her way. Crickets chirped as she made her way. The sounds of small animals moving through the grass were unnerving, yet she was grateful that the presence of larger predators was not heard. Soon she heard the chorus of frogs; she was getting closer to the river.

After a few hours, the trail opened up to the meadow near the campsite. She could see the entrance to the mine, but the tent was gone. The mules and clothesline was gone too. Only the remains fire pit marked Sam's campsite. She walked over to the stones, and put her hand near the ashes. Cold.

She remembered a conversation her parents had about the limits of the wrist strap, that the space "hopper" was not always reliable as the TARDIS. Judging by the state of the campsite, Sam had recently moved on to Columbia within the last two days. The grass was still matted where the tent would have been. Toshi felt a splash of rain on her face. It was growing dark, and only shelter nearby was the mine.

Pulling a torch out of her pack and Toshi turned it on, then walked carefully into the entrance and looked around. Sam had put large wooden planks under the kibble and over the shaft to prevent anyone from accidentally falling in. It was too late to start a fire, besides all the wood scattered around the campsite was now soaked. She found a soft sandy section close to the mine entrance, and sat down. She arranged Jack's large coat like a blanket around her to keep warm. As she took in her father's scent, she remembered the peanut butter sandwiches he had made for them at the beginning of the day. She knew Jack would want her to eat, so she pulled one out, but couldn't unwrap it. Feeling sick as she remembered his fall, she put the sandwich back into the backpack. Toshi wrapped the coat tighter and began to rock as tears slid down into the fabric.

"Dad," she whispered as she breathed in his scent. "Dad."


	5. Chapter 5 Trapped

Jack groaned as his body surged back to life. His body had healed, but ached in the chilling confines of the mine. Lifting his tied wrists, he pulled at the rope with his teeth. It held fast. Luckily his hands were tied in front of him, giving him more maneuvering skill then if they were bound behind. He ran his hands over the granite in the darkness. Judging by the incline, he must have tumbled into one of the slope tunnels. The space was large enough to sit up, but not stand. As his mind cleared, he began to listen. Nothing. Where was Toshi? He blamed himself. Not seeing Zar in time. Not keeping her safe. Why did he take off the wrist strap! Stupid!

Jack carefully moved the rubble of eroded rock as he moved down the incline. He stopped when he touched water. It was the brackish accumulation of centuries of rain and snowmelt, but at least he wouldn't be thirsty. He drank a little, and then pulled himself against the wall of the tunnel to think.

Zar mentioned that he had a buyer, which meant he wanted Jack for trade. It chilled him to think about why he wanted Toshi. If he wanted to hurt Jack in vengeance, then he could harm her. Jack prayed this wasn't the case. Being part Gallifreyan meant that Toshi would have value on the black market as well. If that was the case, Zar would keep her alive. That was his hope. Time. The Doctor and Jen were scheduled to return in a few days. He had to keep Zar from locating him, yet find a way out to get to Toshi. Was there another entrance?

Jack began to quietly crawl up the incline. Zar might be at the top of the shaft listening. After he moved about a hundred feet, it was still pitch black, but the air was fresher. He carefully put his hand up. Finding no rock directly above him, he carefully stood. This must be the main shaft. As he looked up, he saw no light. The faint croaking sound of frogs danced in the air. Night.

Jack felt around for Sam's second slope tunnel. It was located on the opposite side from the first one. As Jack slowly moved into the second tunnel, a beam of light hit the wall of the main shaft. He stretched out and flattened his body to avoid detection.

Zar moved the light of his torch in an organized search pattern. He thought he had heard a noise in the shaft. He carefully checked the bottom seeing only rumble. He wasn't thinking when he threw him in the mine. If he had killed Jack first, left the body, and then went for the girl, he would have them both by now. He quietly swore as he noticed he left a better life sign detecter on his ship. The Captain should be conscious by now. Was there another entrance? Zar stayed for another hour listening. Nothing.

"I know you are there, Captain." He called out. "It is just a matter of time."

Finally he left to retrieve his equipment. The immortal would not escape again.

Jack listened until he was sure the alien was no longer at the top of the shaft. He continued to search the second slope tunnel and prayed there was another entrance. He had to get out, for his sake and for Toshi.


	6. Chapter 6 The Face of Boe

"There is one more, sir."

_"I'm so tired, sister. Can this one wait until tomorrow?"_

I'm sorry sir, I don't know who she is. She says she knows you." The Catkind nun in the white habit bowed low, and then waited for instruction. The white room was bare except for the large glass dome.

_ "What is her name?"_

"She won't give it, sir. She says it's a private matter."

The creature in the glass enclosure was silent. He gazed out into the white sterility of the receiving room at the waiting nun. His aged face filled most of the space inside the glass enclosure. His telepathic mind reached out into the waiting room.

"_Let her in Sister Ham_e."

The nun's habit swirled as she quickly turned. She went to the entrance, and returned with a young blond woman at her side. The Face of Boe took in a sharp breath, and a small crooked smile spread over his lips as they faced each other in silence.

"_Leave us Sister."_

"But…"

"_Please leave us. She means no harm."_

The Catkind nun glanced as Jen, and then bowed towards her master. She quietly shut the door behind her as she left the room.

Jen walked silently up to the dome, and placed her hands on the glass.

"Jack?" She ran her fingers lightly over the surface and her eyes searching his for recognition.

Boe closed his eyes and sighed. "_Did the Doctor tell you?"_ He opened them and gazed at the young woman.

She shook her head. "I saw you when I looked into the Time Vortex. My father took me to Gallifrey, to learn about my people. I looked into the Untempered Schism like he had when he was young. I saw…you." She paused then brushed her hand against the glass again. How…?"

"_You must go back_," Boe said quietly. "_There is nothing you can do here_."

Jen frowned. She kept both hands on the glass, touching yet not touching, tracing the outline of his eyes. "You knew who I was when we first met, yes?"

"_Yes, I remember that da_y," Boe said softly. "_Your first travel across time_." He smiled.

"You gave me your TARDIS," Jen leaned closer. "You taught me how to fly her in the Silver Devastation. Kira was yours."

"_And now she belongs to you. It was meant to be_," Jack whispered, " _All of it_."

Jen was quiet, then took a deep breath, and asked, "How… how do you bear this…this life?"

Jack winced and lowered his eyes. He was silent for a time.

"_There are things you don't know, things I cannot explain_." He looked into her eyes. "_Just…just know it is bearable and I can help many. You must go back. You are not of this time_."

Jen let her hands slide and knelt in front of the enclosure. She put her hands again on the glass. "Can I touch you?"

Boe looked at her longingly for a time. "_There is a small door in the back that the nurse uses to bathe me. You can enter there. The smoke in the air will not harm you_."

She rose, circled to the back, unlatched the door, and stepped into the enclosure. She carefully moved to front, and knelt before him so her eyes met his. Reaching up, she slowly placed her hands on both sides of his face. His skin was creased and dry. She kissed him gently.

His breathing became ragged as he closed his eyes. When he opened them, his eyes glistened. Jen bent down, slowly traced his lips, and then the cleft in his chin. She kissed him again.

"I want to touch you," she whispered. She reached up and gently stroked his outer ear. "I want you to know that you are loved. That wherever you go, and as long as you live, you are loved." And then she carefully moved to the side, and embraced him.

Jack closed his eyes as he yielded to her embrace. "I remember…I remember you. I remember Toshi, Ianto, Stephen, Grey, the Doc_tor…I remember you all_."

He took a deep breath and said, "_Please, you must go back._"

Jen slowly kissed him again, and then reluctantly opened the door. She stepped out of the enclosure, and closed it. She circled back to the front and stood facing Boe, again resting her hand on the glass, touching yet not touching.

"_You must not tell me_." Boe said softly. "_What you have seen today cannot be heard… It will be a mercy to me_."

She dropped her hands to her side, unable to speak.

"_Our meeting now is as it should be,_" he continued. "_but you must return, Toshi needs you… I …need you_."

Jen's eyes filled with tears as she reached out and touched the glass again. "I don't want to leave you like this."

"_You must._"

Sister Hane entered the room, and looked expectantly at both of them. As Jen turned to go, Boe took a slow breath and spoke.

"_Jen_."

She turned back. "Yes?

Jack gazed at her for moment, his face twisted with emotion. "_You are loved. Know that you are loved._" He then closed his eyes, unable to watch her walk away from him for the last time.

The Catkin sister escorted her to the door of the room, and led her out to the waiting room. Jen walked over to her father and buried her head in his embrace. Finally she took a deep breath, and gathered herself together.

"We must go back. They need us," she said firmly. "Toshi and Jack need us."

The Doctor and Jen entered the TARDIS waiting in the corner of the room, and disappeared into the scrim of time.


	7. Chapter 7 Drift, Drop, Hook

The morning light slanted into the mine. Toshi could hear the chorus of finches chattering in the black oak trees. The air still held a morning chill, but the sun on her face warmed her. As she rose, she carefully shook her father's coat of dust and leaves. A hunting knife fell out of a pocket. She picked it up and fingered the smooth steel as her last memory of him came back. Saddened, she placed the knife in her backpack, and carefully folded the Captain's great coat, and set it on the ground. She took out the lunch he had packed the day before. _Not true,_ she thought to herself. The day he packed it was now four hundred years in the future.

She unwrapped the peanut butter sandwich, breaking it into fourths. Taking one piece, she put the rest away. Toshi leaned back against the granite wall of the mine thinking about her situation as she ate. She was the daughter of a Time Agent and a Gallifreyan. _Think!_ There must be a way to help her father. She remembered that the wrist strap communicator would not work across time, so a message to her grandfather and mother was out of the question. They would be back at the campsite in a few days, but how would they know she was here? _Think!_

A rustling movement was heard in the clearing. Toshi crept back into the shadows to a spot where she had a clear view of Sam's abandoned campsite. A small, elderly Indian woman was carefully salvaging the site, picking up what Sam had left behind. She picked up an old hammer and spike inadvertently left where he had tethered his mule, and put it in the woven reed basket she carried at her hip. Toshi watched her move around the campground as she up bent nails, rusting cans, and pieces of rope. As she moved closer to the entrance of the mine, she hesitated and turned toward the hidden girl.

"Waq lis 'i?" She held out her hand towards Toshi.

The girl shrank further into the shadow.

"Waq lis 'i?" The old woman pulled out a small basket of wild blackberries and held it out to the girl. "P'as?" She smiled as she held the basket out again. "P'as?"

Toshi edged out into the light.

The old woman gasped. This was the star child that she had seen from the ridge. She held out the basket of berries again and took one. She carefully put it in her mouth, and offered the basket of berries to the girl again. "P'as?"

Toshi walked slowly towards the woman, took the berry, and ate it. Smiling as the sweet juice hit her tongue, she reached into her backpack for her section of peanut butter sandwich. She broke off a piece and offered it to the woman. "Food?"

The old woman began to smile, and took the piece. "Food? P'as?" She put down her basket and ate it. She then pointed to herself and said "Aeshan…Aeshan." Then she pointed to the girl with questioning eyes.

Toshi pointed to the woman. "Aeshan?" The old woman nodded.

"Toshi," she said as she pointed to herself. "My name is Toshi."

The old woman and the star child began to trade words: water, sun, food, bird. If Toshi could not figure out what the woman was saying, she took a stick and drew a picture in the sand. Soon they had a primitive flow of information. As the sun rose higher in the sky, they retreated to the cool comfort of the mouth of the mine. Aeshan noticed the folded coat. She remembered it was the one worn by the man she saw with the child by the mirrored lake.

"Pte 'sap?"

Toshi looked confused.

Aeshan pointed to the coat, and then drew a figure of a man and child. She pointed to the child. "Toshi?" Then pointed to the drawing of the man. "Pte'sap?" She pointed back to Toshi made a cradling motion, and then back to the man. "Pte'sap?"

"My father?" Toshi was surprised. "Yes, he is my father, my pte'sap." A tear welled and slowly followed her cheek. The old woman gently put her hand to Toshi's face and whipped it away with her thumb. Toshi wanted to tell her about what had happened. How do you explain things that happened in the future, of aliens and time agents to this woman? She shook her head sadly.

Aeshan spent the rest of the afternoon teaching Toshi to fish. She fashioned a line and hook out of twine, bottle corks, and the bent nails Sam left at the site. While they sat together on the bank fishing, Toshi's thoughts drifted back to her father. She pulled the line back then cast out in the current again, dropping a hook under the cork to lure the fish. _Cast, drop, hook._ Her father could not get out of the mine by himself if there was no other entrance. She drew in the line again and threw it out_. Cast, drop, hook._ The walls of the shaft were too steep. He was alone and had no tools.

The star child and the old woman pulled three trout from the river. Aeshan built a fire in Sam's stone pit, and roasted the fish on sticks. Toshi was strengthened by meal, but refused Aeshan's attempts to take her back to her hut along the Merced. The child would not leave the camp. There was something connecting the child to the mine, but Aeshan did not understand what it was. As the sun was low in the sky, Aeshan knew that she must leave the child in the cave she found her in. Ghosts lived in the caves and waterfalls of the valley. They may not hurt an innocent, but the elders lived in fear of them. Leaving the basket of all the things she had collected, she decided to return the next day to build a shelter for the child. The star child was strong and intelligent, but she feared that without the protection of her father or Aeshan, she would soon perish.

Toshi watched the old woman as she made her way home along the river before disappearing around the bend. The warmth of the day was fading as the sun dipped in a fiery haze below the rim of mountains. Toshi went back into the cave to where she had spent the first night. Taking Jack's coat, she wrapped around herself comforted by the warmth and scent of her father. Her mind drifted back to the image of her father at the bottom of the mine. The image of the fishing line and cork bobbed in her mind: Drift, drop, hook. Throwing a line. Toshi brightened. Using that seed of an idea, she made a plan.


	8. Chapter 8: Convergence

Jen sent a communication again using her wrist strap. Nothing. She paced next to her father as the TARDIS traveled through the Time Vortex. "He never takes this off, I'm worried."

"It's probably just a glitch caused by the Vortex. When we get out, we can get a clear signal."

"No, something is wrong," Jen said firmly. "I can feel it."

The Doctor glanced at her face, and grimly reviewed the control levels.

Even in the Vortex, the journey across the universe took time.

XXXXXXX

It was close to sunset when the Commander came back to the entrance of the mine after scouting the cliff. He was sure that there was no other exit from the mine. Taking out a scanning device, he set its range to 1000 yards. As he quietly made his way to the shaft, he listened. No sound below. He pointed his scanner straight down the shaft. No signs of life. This was still not conclusive due to the density of the stone. Adjusting the scanner to a more sensitive setting, he checked again. This time there was a faint sign of body heat to the left side of the main shaft, possibly an adjoining tunnel. He smirked.

"I know you are there, Captain," he called out. Throwing a rock down the left side of the shaft, he listened as it hit the bottom and rolled. "Just a matter of time."

Jack kept silent and still in the darkness. His explorations had yielded nothing. There was no other way out. His body ached from the bone-chilling cold and cramped position while his mind raced searching for a good solution to the situation. Nothing came.

The Commander pulled the aging kibble structure to the side of the shaft. Pieces of rusted iron and rotted wood dropped down into the pit stirring up dust. He considered sealing the cave and leaving the immortal man trapped, but that would be a waste of resources. The human still had trade value. He looked more carefully at the rock wall. It could hold an anchoring device. Zar had the equipment to repel down and get the body after he neutralized Jack with a poisoned gas. At least he had one positive outcome now that the child was out of reach. There was no hurry, his captive was trapped. He would wait for daylight and make the descent.

XXXXXXX

As soon as the morning light came, Toshi removed everything from her backpack and separated them into two piles. In one pile went her father's backpack, coat, the wrist strap, the hunting knife, binoculars, and holster. In the other pile went her belongings including the small knife. She paused, and switched the torch and small knife to his pile. He might need these more than me, she thought to herself.

She took her supplies out of their waterproof wrappings. Using the wrappings to envelop most of her father's belongings to prevent dampness, she fastened duct tape to secure the seams. Toshi kept out the torch and an extra wrapping and tape for later. Next she placed the wrapped bundle inside her father's backpack. There was just enough light in the mine to see Sam's mining apparatus with the kibble hanging over the boarded shaft. Carefully Toshi removed the boards and set them to the side. Next she tightened the rope and pulley system, adding a heavy rock to the large bucket, and then lowered it to the bottom of the shaft. The test worked. She brought it back up to the surface.

Toshi picked up the backpack with her father's belongings and put it into the bucket. Next she turned on the torch, and put the extra wrapping and duct tape in her pocket. Last she took the hammer and stake from Aeshan's basket and placed it in the bucket. Carefully she climbed into bucket, holding on the ropes to keep it steady as she carefully lowered herself to the bottom of the mine.

It was dark at the bottom of the shaft, so she turned on the torch to look around. An iron peg was drilled into the wall, apparently used to secure the rope when the miners were in the tunnels. She tied the bucket down and stepped out. At first she had thought she could just leave the items at the bottom, but then saw the entries to the two slope tunnels. Looking up, she could see light at the end of the shaft. She would have to hide these things from others who might explore the mine in the next four hundred years, but put them in a place her father could find them. She probed the left shaft were her light and began to crawl in two feet. Propping the light up on the side so she could see, she began carving the wall by hammering the stake like a chisel. When she finished, she used the stake to dig into floor of the tunnel. Then she shut off the torch, wrapped and tapped it before zipping it into the second backpack. Now everything was pitch black. Toshi could not see. Using her hands she covered both backpacks with dirt, stones, and debris. She felt her way up to the main shaft. The sun still cast enough light to reflect into the main shaft for her to see the outline of the ropes and kibble. Toshi untied the rope, climbed into the bucket, and raised the kibble to the top of the shaft.

Before she finished putting the wooden planks back over the mouth of the shaft, Toshi returned the bucket to the bottom of the shaft. A shadow fell from the entrance. She whirled around to see a figure silhouetted at the entrance. Fear evaporated as she recognized the shape. Aeshan beckoned to the child holding out a basket of fresh picked berries.

"P'as?"

Toshi bowed in thanks as she took the berries. The old woman and child sat down outside the mine entrance to share the food.


	9. Chapter 9: A Reckoning

Jack shivered as the early morning light made its way into the icy main shaft. The Commander would come for him soon. Zar wanted him for trade in the interstellar black market. Slavery was outlawed centuries ago, but it still continued at the edges where bribes were taken, and the law turned a blind eye to its victims. Held captive before, Jack learned that a man like him was highly prized. He shuttered at the painful possibilities, and then blocked the thoughts from his mind. Deciding to search a third time, he systematically made his way to the end of the right slope tunnel until the pool of stagnant water blocked his way. Nothing. As he made his way back to the main shaft he could see the beam of a torch systematically searching the shaft. The Captain remained still, holding his breath. The light disappeared and he could hear hammering. He quickly made his way back to the main shaft, and began to search the left tunnel carefully feeling the walls and floor for anything that would indicate an opening.

As he touched the wall of the second tunnel, he noticed an indentation that he did not notice the first time. He carefully traced it with his hand, "T". Moving his hand to the right, he felt another letter, "O". Jack's excitement began to grow as he fingered the rest. "TOSHI". The Captain began to dig frantically under his daughter's name through the accumulated rock and debris in the tunnel floor. Finally he could feel a large pouch covered with decaying fabric and pulled it out. The zipper was frozen with age, so he tore through it and extracted two wrapped bundles. He could feel that they were both covered with a smooth material sealed with some kind of tape. Using his teeth and hands, he pulled the wrapping apart on the small bundle.

A torch! He flicked the switch. The light was very dim, but bright enough for Jack to see the objects in front of him. He tore into the second bundle. Good girl_,_ he thought to himself. He picked up the strap, checked the settings, and fastened it to his right wrist. Next he pulled out the great coat and carefully put it on in the tight space, grateful for the warmth. The fabric of the backpack had taken the brunt of the years of weathering, but Toshi's waterproof wrapping had preserved the rest of the items. He quickly put the knives and other objects in his pocket.

As he made his way to the main shaft where he could stand up, the plop of a canister struck the bottom of the shaft with a hiss. His eyes began to sting. Gas! Desperately he held his breath, but the rising vapor was taking effect. Toxic! Fumbling to open his wrist strap as he was losing consciousness, Jack blindly triggered the vortex manipulator.

XXXXXXX

The Commander checked the time. The heavy gas should have neutralized and dissipated by now, making it safe for him to enter the shaft. The light from his torch played along the edges of the shaft, but he could not see the body. The Captain must have crawled into a side tunnel before he died. It would make it more difficult to retrieve him, but not impossible. Zar pulled on the headlamp and strapped a weapon to his belt. He tested his weight against the anchor, and then arranged the ropes to repel down the shaft. Still no sound of movement.

As the Commander reached the bottom, he quickly released the ropes from his body so he could move freely. Handprints and other soil disturbances indicated that his captive had been moving in this area. He shot a beam of into the right tunnel. His light followed its straight lines until he saw the reflection of water. The Captain was not there. He turned his light to the second. This one curved five feet in. Zar listened again. Nothing. He placed his weapon within easy reach, and then began to crawl into the tunnel.

He cursed after he rounded the curve in the tunnel. The rest of the slope shaft was straight, also ending with the reflection of water. How could Harkness disappear? He angled the light to the floor noting a disturbance in the rock debris. Something buried had been uncovered, and the tattered remains of a backpack lay to the side. Zar looked closely at a carving in surrounding rock, TOSHI. He gritted his teeth in exasperation. The Time Witch's child was as resourceful as her mother! He backed out of the slope tunnel, and quickly climbed up to the surface. He needed to go back to his ship to use his instrument panel to do a more thorough search of the planet for his quarry if they were still here.

XXXXXXX

Jack gasped back to life. His eyes still stung from the effects of the gas, but the rest of his body had healed. As his eyes cleared, he found himself still in the main shaft. He listened. There was no sound, except for the brush of a wind in the valley. Judging by the cold temperature and lack of reflected light, Jack assumed it must be night. He carefully checked the area. It was fairly clean of debris and no canister. He must have time traveled while he was unconscious. Where…or when was he?

The Captain carefully felt around the bottom of the mine, and came across the kibble and its tackle laying on its side on the bottom. He smiled as he remembered Toshi playing with it while he talked with Sam. He turned on torch to review the pulley system, and then stepped into the large bucket. Carefully pulling the ropes to make the least amount of noise, the Captain hauled himself up to the top of the shaft, and quietly stepped out on solid ground. He stopped to adjust his eyes to the low light. Jack tensed, and fingered the hunting knife in his pocket. A small shape huddled near the entrance outlined by the light of an ebbing moon. As the Captain drew nearer, he relaxed as he made out the face of his sleeping daughter. Toshi lay on her side, wrapped in a blue trading blanket, her head resting on a small woven basket as a pillow.

Jack smiled gently as he knelt next to his daughter. Carefully he reached down and pulled her into his arms like he had when she was little. She murmured in her sleep, but began to struggle as she awakened.

"Shhh," he whispered. "It's me, Toshi." He kissed her on her forehead. "It's me."

"Dad?" Her eyes began to focus and then widened. "Dad!" Toshi threw her arms around her father holding him tightly. She began to cry.

"I'm here, sweetheart." He rocked her as he held her close. "Everything will be alright, I'm here."


	10. Chapter 10 Return

"There is something wrong," Jen checked her wrist strap again. "I've sent three messages, and there has been no response." She started to pace. "If Jack could, he would reply. When will we be in orbit?"

"Five minutes," replied the Doctor as he adjusted navigation controls, and then moved towards the scanners. "We need to land in a different spot, then check for trouble."

His daughter joined him at the scanner. "I've calibrated the scanner to pick up Toshi and Jack." She looked up at the Doctor, "I've run it twice and there is no sign of either of them."

The Doctor peered at the settings. "There are many caves and old mines in that area, narrow the probing field and deepen it." They carefully watched as one panel appeared after another. The TARDIS scanner finished its sweep. Nothing.

"If they are still back in the Gold Rush, the communicator would not work," offered the Doctor. "They probably just got held up."

"There are many definitions of "held up", not all of them good," snapped Jen.

The Doctor noticed an odd shape on one of the scans and pointed it out to his daughter.

Jen zoomed in on the shape which registered about two miles away from the campsite. She asked the TARDIS, "Kira, identify."

"Sebecian scouting ship."

"Kira, number of occupants?"

"Unknown"

Jen slowly sat down by the scanning console.

"What? The Sebecians are a peaceful race." The Doctor looked more closely at the scanner. "I don't see it now."

"It could have engaged a cloaking device," said Jen. "Their society is peaceful, however there here rogue factions." She looked wearily at her father. "Remember Taurus, where Jack and I first met? The Interstellar Nature Conservancy closed down an illegal mining operation, but some got away. Their Commander Zar got away. He targeted Jack."

The Doctor touched her arm, "It still could be a coincidence." He motioned to her to look at the map. "There is an oak near the campsite. We'll land there."

XXXXXXX

Aeshan followed the river as she walked back to the mine. The star child had been insistent that she stay near the mine, and would only take the trade blanket for warmth. The child was not afraid of the ghosts that wandered at night in the waterfalls and caves of the surrounding cliffs. The old woman reluctantly went back to her camp for the night, but worried about the girl nonetheless. As the sun broke above the mountains, she harvested the blackberry thickets along the river as she made her way back to the mine. When she reached the miner's deserted campsite, there was a movement at the entrance of the mine. A tall man walked out with Toshi and turned his face toward the warmth of the sun. The Star Traveler! Aeshan stopped and stepped into the shadow of the oak.

Toshi pointed. "That's her over there. That's Aeshan!" She pulled her father by the hand down the slope.

As he drew near, the old woman's eyes recognized the handsome man in the coat was indeed the same one she had seen the first time she had laid eyes on Toshi. As he came closer, he smiled at her and held out his hand.

"Captain Jack Harkness." He clasped her hand warmly. "Pleased to meet you, Aeshan."

She looked at Toshi and asked, "Pte'sap?"

Toshi nodded. "Yes this is my father, my pte'sap."

The old woman offered them the basket of freshly picked blackberries, and beckoned them to sit down under the oak. Toshi took out the rest of the peanut butter sandwiches giving one to her father who devoured it hungrily. She divided the other half with Aeshan. Jack attempted to communicate with the old woman by gestures and drawing pictures in the sand with a stick. He needed a weapon to take back with him, preferably a gun. Aeshan indicated she might have what he needed at her lodge.

As they made their way back up the river, Toshi pulled her dad aside and asked, "Why don't we time travel from the campsite?"

"The Sebecian is still out there, and he'll be watching it. Aeshan may offer us a better place to use."

The sun was high in the sky before they reached the Aeshan's lodge, which was set back off the flood plain of the Merced near the cliff. It was a rude affair composed of a willow frame covered by cedar bark and thatch arranged in a conical lean-to no more than ten feet in diameter. The top was open, presumably to let the smoke out in winter. Aeshan entered and then brought out a basket of dried fish, berries, and a bitter acorn mush to offer to her guests. Jack and Toshi politely accepted the meal.

After they finished eating, Aeshan pulled out several baskets full of scavenged items she had found near campsites or on the bodies of unfortunate travelers who did not survive their trip through the Sierra snows. She buried those souls, but wondered if they became the ghosts of the cliffs. Most of the items were dull knives, dented cooking pots, and pieces of scrap metal; however one item caught his eye. He pulled the revolver carefully out of the basket and checked the chamber.

"A Colt Dragoon," he marveled. "And in good condition!" He rummaged around the basket and pulled out a small saddlebag that contained the holster, and extra bullets.

Jack pointed to the gun and signaled he wanted to trade. He spread out the contents of their backpacks. The old woman pointed to the small knife, duct tape, and Toshi's backpack. Jack nodded in agreement and they made the swap.

For the rest of the afternoon, Jack scouted the area and calculated their return. He could not use the previous coördinates and had to anticipate the natural changes to the landscape that would occur in the next four hundred years. He had to avoid meeting Zar. He could handle the Sebecian, but he had his child to consider. As soon as he was back within the same time period, he could contact Jen and the Doctor for assistance.

The Captain settled on the large meadow behind Aeshan's lodge. Zar had concentrated his attention to the campsite, but this area was far enough to avoid detection. If they left at night, they could land in the same area without being seen. As he was coding in the coördinates, he could see Toshi examining a section of the cliff. She waved at him, beckoning him to join her.

"Look," she said as she pointed to the granite. An array of simple figures were carved in the face of the cliff. Some were animals and birds, most were spirals or wavy lines, and a few resembled men.

"Petroglyphs," he replied. The Indian cultures of this region left a record of their stay." He turned to see the sun begin to sink below the rim of the mountains. "Are you ready to go?"

"I want to say good-bye to Aeshan."

Jack agreed and they walked back in the dusk. She had a fire blazing in front of her lodge when they returned. She offered them a drink similar to a mint tea, and then gave them dried fish and berries. They sat in front of the fire and ate their meal. Soon the sunlight had disappeared from the sky, and the stars made their appearance. Toshi hugged the elderly woman as Jack use sign language and drawings in the soil to explain that they were leaving.

Aeshan nodded sadly. She was sorry to see her guests go, especially Toshi. In response she took a stick and began to draw the simple figures of a star, a child, and a man in a long coat.

She pointed to the star and said "Ktocl." Next she pointed to the man. "Pte'sap. Ktocl Pte'sap."

Toshi translated. "Star father?"

Jack raised his eyebrows. She understood who he was. Did the tribe have contact before with time travelers?

She then pointed to the drawing of the child and the star. "Ktocl To'daks?"

Jack bent down to look more closely. "Kotel To'daks? Star Child?" He pointed to Toshi. "Ktocl To'daks?"

Aeshan beamed. "Ktocl To'daks y Ktocl Pte'sap." She pointed at the two of them, then at the stars.

Jack smiled. "Yes, my friend, we are going back to the stars."

The old woman accompanied them to the meadow and stood next to the base of the cliff. Toshi and her father walked out to the center of the meadow, triggered the wrist strap and disappeared in a shimmer of light.

Aeshan stood by the cliff for a long time looking at the stars and thinking about what lay ahead for her star travelers. Finally she turned and followed the deer path back to her lodge.

XXXXXXX

Jack and Toshi landed in the soft soil of the meadow. Stars still glittered above them, but the new growth of the forest had decreased the grassy areas. Jack pulled out the torch and guided Toshi to the deer path along the face of the cliff. The moonlight cast a harsh shadow on the petroglyphs, deepening the carvings.

"Dad," Toshi pointed. "Look!"

Jack followed her glance and saw three figures, the same as those Aeshan drew in the sand: a star, a child, and a man in a long coat.

"We will never see her again?" Toshi's eyes began to mist.

"No," said Jack. Pulling his daughter close, he hugged her, and then kissed her on the top of the head. He pointed to the mule deer path along the side of the cliff. As they followed it, they passed the clearing where Aeshan's lodge once stood. Nothing remained. They continued along the edge of the river. Jack periodically stopped to survey the trail ahead before proceeding. A thin red glow edged the eastern horizon as they followed the river back to their camp.


	11. Chapter 11 Confrontation

The TARDIS silently landed near the campsite. The chameleon circuit immediately engaged blending into the surrounding forest. Jen opened the observation windows to survey the area. The sun had peeked over the eastern horizon casting a rosy light on the oncoming bank of clouds in the west. Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning, she thought to herself. Nothing moved at the campsite. The surrounding dew that settled on the grasses was undisturbed, no sign of Jack, Toshi, or Charlie.

Jen used the scanner to check the immediate area; there was nothing unusual. She opened the locker she used when on assignments with the Interstellar Nature Conservancy, selected a small weapon and strapped it to her waist.

"Is that really necessary?"

Jen looked directly at her father and replied in an even tone. "I follow your peaceful ways the best I can, but I will protect the ones I love."

The Doctor shook his head in disapproval, pulled on his long coat, and stepped out of the TARDIS. The tent was less than twenty feet away. He unzipped the opening, and crouched down to examine the inside of the tent: two sleeping bags, several other camping supplies, and no footprints around the tent. Nothing had been disturbed. The only sound they could hear was the rush of the Merced River as it wound through the valley.

"Jen," the Doctor asked. "Would Jack take Charlie time traveling with Toshi?"

"No," she replied as she joined him. "Absolutely not."

"Did you say that Toshi was interested in the Gold Rush?" The Doctor turned towards the entrance of the mine nearby. "I'll finish here, you start over there." Jen began to climb the slope to the abandoned mine. As she came close to the face of the cliff, she stopped and sniffed the air. Death. She signaled to her father to stay back, and drew her gun, and cocked it. The buzz of flies caught her attention at the base of the cliff. She used a stick to move a branch of withered cedar to reveal a small golden paw. Her heart dropped. Charlie.

The Doctor scanned the area as he joined her. He pointed to the entrance of the mine and grimly nodded. As they arrived at the opening, they heard a small voice from the river.

"Mom! Grandpa!"

Jen and the Doctor turned to see Toshi waving her arms near the edge of the river, with Jack lagging behind her. Ignoring her father's words of caution, the child began running up the slope. Jen knelt down and captured her daughter in her arms holding her close. The Doctor quickly came and opened his arms wide. Toshi left her mother and wrapped her arms around her grandfather.

"Grandpa, I got to see miners and an Indian. I got to be a Time Agent and helped Dad…"

"Slow down, little one," the Doctor chuckled. "One thing at a time!"

Jen looked back at the river, and noticed Jack had pulled a weapon and was following a search pattern as he climbed up the slope towards them. She put her hand on her father's shoulder.

The Doctor turned towards her with questioning eyes. He followed her eyes towards the river, and saw the Captain moving carefully among the boulders with his gun drawn.

"Stop there, Captain." The voice came from behind, sending a shiver down Jack's spine. "Don't turn around. Face the river."

Jack stopped.

"Now lower your weapon and holster it," the voice continued. "Don't tip them off or do anything stupid." Jack slowly put the gun back in its holster.

Jen watched from her position on the hill and relaxed. She waited for Jack to continue his climb.

"This will not end well," the Captain said calmly. "I have no quarrel with you. Just leave us in peace."

"That's unfortunate, Jack, because I have one with you," growled the Sebecian. "You shamed me on Taurus. Now I'm wanted by both the Conservancy and the Cartel. I will never see my wife or my son again. I have no future, all because of you and your Time Witch."

"Revenge won't help you," Jack reasoned. "Let me talk to the Conservancy…"

Toshi frowned as she watched her father standing by the boulders. She wiggled out of her grandfather's embrace and began to walk down the slope.

"Shut up, Jack!" Zar cocked his weapon. "I may not be able to kill you, but I can make you live what I feel." He stepped out of the shadows and aimed his weapon at the child.

"Toshi!" Jack screamed.

Jen saw the light reflecting of the alien's scales as he stepped into the light, and pulled her weapon as she ran towards her daughter. "Toshi!"

The child stopped in confusion and turned towards her mother.

The Sebecian fired.

As Jen leaped in front of her daughter, she twisted and fired at the Commander. His bullet caught her in the chest, tumbling her with its force. Her bullet slammed into the Commander's forehead, dropping him where he stood.

"Jen! Toshi!" Jack scrambled up the slope reaching them at the same time as the Doctor. Jack dropped to his knees and cradled Jen, checking her wounds while the Doctor gathered the trembling child into his arms. Jen looked up and attempted to speak.

"Save your strength," Jack took a clean handkerchief from his pocket, and applied pressure to the wound to slow the bleeding. "Stay with me."

Jen struggled to breath while clotting blood darkened her clothing. She reached out one hand brushing the captain's chin, tracing his lips. "Jack…" She smiled up at him.

"Stay with me," he said as he pulled her closer. Each breath was labored as her strength started to ebb. Her blue eyes began to dim.

"Doctor, she's dying!" Jack looked in anguish at the Doctor as he choked back the tears. "What do I do?"

"Bring her to her TARDIS!" The Doctor hoisted Toshi to his shoulder. "Quickly!"

Jack gathered the dying woman in his arms. Running across the rocky terrain, he carried her into the TARDIS, followed closely by the Doctor and Toshi.

"What do I do, Doctor?" Jack cried, "Tell me what to do!"

"Place her near the control center," the Doctor instructed.

Jack gently placed Jen on the floor, still cradling her body.

"Jen, look at me! Don't leave me! He pleaded, "Please don't leave me!" Her head rolled to into his chest as her muscles relaxed.

The Doctor put Toshi down near the door, rushed over and knelt next to the Captain. He gently put his hand on Jack's shoulder. "Jack, you can't help her now. You need to stand back."

Jack pulled her closer and buried his face in her blond hair. "Jen…"

"You need to let her go," the Doctor said quietly.

"She is not regenerating!" Jack cried. "You said she could regenerate!"

"She was not born on Gallifrey. So many things we don't know about her or Toshi." He pulled on the Captain's arm. "You need to let go."

A slow swirl of golden light began to sparkle around Jen's body.

The Doctor stood up. "Really, Jack, you need to move away from her body."

The Captain continued to hold her.

"Jack, step back now!" The Doctor grabbed the grieving man by his arm and pulled him away. "Toshi stay there! Don't move."

The Doctor used all his strength to pull Jack away from Jen's body, and held him against the TARDIS wall. Toshi wrapped herself around her father's waist in fear. The light circling around Jen glittered brighter and brighter until they all had to turn their eyes and look away. The TARDIS flooded with brilliance as Jen's body shuttered then arched, her face and hands ablaze. Finally, several minutes later the light began to dim, leaving the body still.

Jen took in a deep breath, and then slowly stood up with a confused expression. The hands were still dimming. Jen began to examine each body part: face, arms, hands, legs, chest…

Jack pushed away from the Doctor's grasp, attempted to move forward, but stopped as Toshi continued to cling to him. He looked Jen over in relief and astonishment. The facial structure was similar, dark hair now, a little taller, same blue eyes, strong athletic build, but…"

Jen stared at the Captain and asked, "Am I…?"

Jack stifled a smile, "Yes, you are."

Jen glanced down at the new body, and then looked back at Jack. "Will this be a problem? Between us?"

Jack kissed his daughter on the top of the head, and gently lifted her to her grandfather's embrace. He walked to the center of the TARDIS. Taking Jen into his arms, he smiled, and murmured "Never has, never will." Then he kissed him long, hard, and deep.

The Doctor put Toshi down. She moved behind him. He stepped forward, folded his arms, and grinned at the sight. "Always wanted a son someday."

Toshi peeked around her grandfather and looked at her parents as they embraced. "Mom?"

"Toshi," the Doctor began. "I was going to have this talk with you when you were a bit older, but I think I need to tell you about your people now. Gallifrayans are a bit different than humans." He walked her into the library and closed the door, giving her parents privacy. As they sat down at the table, the Doctor began, "We need to talk about regeneration…"


	12. Chapter 12 New Beginnings

Six weeks later

Jack lazily awoke to a tangle of bed sheets, scattered clothes, and the smell of coffee wafting into the room. He hurriedly dressed, entered the kitchen area, and wrapped his arms around his partner's waist while nuzzling his neck.

"Why so early?" he asked as he nuzzled Jen's ear.

The Time Lord smiled as he unwound himself from Jack's embrace. "We have a meeting with the Conservancy at ten. Now sit down before you get burnt. The coffee is hot." He placed the two mugs of the steaming brew on the table.

Jack slid onto his chair, pulled off a slab of bread from the cutting board, and put it on his plate. He began to slather it with blackberry jam. Jen served him a side of scrambled eggs and bacon, and then joined him.

"You got back late! I felt you slip into bed next to me, but I figured you were exhausted." Jack raised an eyebrow as he wolfed down his food. "Did the Conservancy give you any trouble about…you not being your old self?"

Jen laughed as he set up his plate. "I must admit that some of the old timers, the traditionals, were creeped out, had a bit of a hard time putting it together. They thought I was a shapeshifter imposter so it got a bit intense. Most did not know that I was Gallifreyan. I had to pull information from the Library of Species to find documentation to explain the process of regeneration. The fact that my fingerprints remained the same helped."

"You could add an "s" to your name, if that helps them with the gender change," Jack suggested. "Jens is a Nordic name on Earth."

Jen laughed.

"Really, it is form of John. Means "god is gracious," Jack smiled. "It suits you."

Jack got up and stood behind his partner, his hands lightly on his shoulders. "What about you," he asked softly. "How are you handling the change?"

"I was already a trained soldier and scientist," Jen replied. "Not a typical girl, but there are some things I miss…"

"I miss the breasts," interrupted Jack as he reached down and brushed his hand across Jen's chest.

"You would," Jen laughed as he attempted to retaliate.

Jack gracefully dodged his hand, and went to the counter. He poured himself another cup of coffee and then sat down. "Seriously, how do you feel?"

"I feel fine. I don't miss the hormonal swings, but sometimes I feel the depth of my emotions are somehow suspect to outsiders, especially the traditionals. Men are expected to keep such things hidden," Jen paused and smiled shyly. "As for the _other _adjustments, I have your considerable knowledge to draw from, and you _are_ an enthusiastic teacher."

Jack grinned and winked. "My favorite subject." He cut off another piece of bread. "Only a few of them knew we were together. Did they have a hard time knowing you were with me?"

"Some did." Jen looked up at him and frowned. "Only a few of our friends know what happens to you…when you are badly hurt." He took the Captain's hand. "I want to keep it that way, Jack. The Cartel has both of us as targets. Too many Collectors, too many people with an agenda even in the Conservancy. Too many willing to let you lay your life on the line, before doing their part."

Jack squeezed back and let go. "You worry too much."

Jen rolled his blue eyes and continued. "The Conservancy wasn't happy with our decision to stay as independent contractors, they like more control. However, they will provide us with a team when necessary," Jen smiled broadly. "And we have discretion on choice of team members and assignments."

"Good!" Jack sat back in his chair. "The less bureaucracy the better."

Jen nodded and handed his partner a sheaf of papers. They pushed the breakfast dishes aside, and reviewed the variety of pending assignments and profiles of possible team members. Finally they narrowed down the pile to three possible assignments and six candidates to interview.

Changing the subject Jack asked, " Have you heard from Toshi? Is the trip going well with the Doctor?"

"No, no messages." Jen began to clean up the dishes. "Toshi has proven she can handle herself in an emergency. She thinks well on her feet, and she can handle change. My father promised to be a little more thoughtful in his choices of itinerary."

"A year is a long time," muttered Jack as he began to wash the plates. "It is especially long since she has the same accelerated aging trait as you. She'll be all grown up by the time we see her again."

"A Gallifreyan education is essential," said Jen. "She'll probably know a lot more than me when she is done." He finished wiping the last dish and put it away. "I almost forgot. There is a sealed letter for you on top of the communication console. They gave it to me last night when I left. Apparently it was sent to the Conservancy since it was your last posting."

The Captain walked over to the console, ripped open the letter, and read it. He took in a sharp breath, frowned, and sat heavily in a chair nearby staring at the paper.

Jen turned to the older man. "Jack?"

The Captain said nothing and continued to stare.

"Jack, what's wrong?"

Jack took a deep breath, " The cryogenic chamber is leaking. I need to go back."

"Back where?"

"To Earth, I need to go back to Earth."

Jen walked over to the older man and placed his hands around his shoulder and leaned down. "Why, what's wrong?"

"I need to go back to get Gray."

"Who is Gray?"

"Gray," Jack looked up with troubled eyes. "My brother, Gray."

**_Readers: The next story is simply called "Gray". I'm working on the plot and character development now. If you would like an automatic notice of a new chapter, check the "follow author" at the bottom. The will automatically send an email with the chapter link when I post. Thank you to those who posted reviews and offered advice. I am deeply grateful for the support._**


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